“The Golden State Valkyries have set a high standard in their inaugural season, creating powerful momentum in the Bay Area and for the WNBA,” commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement to FOS. More than halfway through its inaugural season, the WNBA’s newest franchise has been a roaring success. With the highest average attendance and the team contending for a playoff spot, one can clearly see the vision that Joe Lacob had for the team. We have already seen a plethora of Warriors stars supporting the W team, but one of them is ready for a new role–Brandin Podziemski.
To those unaware, the Warriors guard is a super fan of the Valkyries. And it is not alleged. He is courtside for the majority of the home games in the new “Ballhalla,” — lavender-tinted, Nordic-themed rebrand of the Chase Center. And Podz is loving the atmosphere and the energy fans bring in. “Nah, it’s electric. It’s definitely something that I love being a part of. The noise in there is a different type of noise than what we have with our games. It almost feels louder most of the time… So just to see the support that the Valkyries are getting in year one is really impressive.”
What is also impressive is that Brandin Podziemski spent a lot of the offseason at the Chase Center and still occasionally yelled at the refs, just not playing. The superfan is also set to take on another project this offseason. “First of which is our brand spanking shiny new weekly Valkyries superfan correspondent. This person is tapped in to the fandom of the Valkyries like no other. We hope that you’ve heard of him. He goes by the name Brandin Podziemski, Valkyries superfan and correspondent joining us here on Willard and Dibs.”
The host of Willard and Dibs on 95.7 The Game, aka KGMZ-FM, is a sports radio station licensed to San Francisco, California, and serving the San Francisco Bay Area with all sports updates. So, the connection between the Warriors and the Valkyries continues to deepen. Podziemski excelled in this role from the courtside, being close to a mascot for the team.
We’re excited to introduce you to our Valkyries Super-fan Correspondent, Brandin Podziemski!
Catch @brandinpodziem2 weekly on @WillardAndDibs pic.twitter.com/lgQmNIEBtE
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) August 13, 2025
Be it trash-talking opponents like Caitlin Clark, or releasing a BP1 “Valkyrie” colorway shoe to extend his love. On the sidelines, he is repping in the colors of the team players; the Santa Clara alum is not shying away from supporting the newest team in the Bay Area.
The Warriors star can feel the difference in the supporters’ voices
“All I gotta do is just see a bucket going and and I’ll be right to it.” Brandin Podziemski answered what keeps him going from the front row seats. The celebration of the Valkyries has been a focus from the beginning of the WNBA season. They had Lilac shirts that read “First of a Lifetime” were laid across each of the arena’s 18,064 seats—all occupied. And if you think it’s just the Warriors fans converting, then you are wrong. As per the report from the Ringer, “Ninety-five percent of the Valkyries’ season ticket holders are new sign-ups—meaning they’re not carryovers from the Warriors.”
Even Podz acknowledged the difference, talking on the Willard and Dibs show. “Obviously, the crowd is very much different. Valkyries games are more family-oriented. You see a lot of mom, dad, and kids where our games, it’s usually not as much of that. So, the audience is different. And you know how kids are. They hear other kids cheering…But the product they’ve produced has been really amazing for me, at least.”
Podziemski’s fit being the superfan is not a forced connection. He is genuinely excited for the game and doesn’t mind yelling at the officials or trash-talking to other WNBA stars. The 22-year-old star guard is truly locked in this offseason. But the project is not the Warriors; instead, it’s for the Valkyries.
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